What is a common root cause analysis approach used in safety investigations?

What is a common root cause analysis approach used in safety investigations?

• A. 5 Whys.
• B. Cost-benefit analysis.
• C. SWOT analysis.
• D. Failure mode and effects analysis.

Answer: (A)

Five Whys digs into root causes by repeatedly asking “why” after an incident to trace the chain of causes back to underlying system weaknesses. The approach starts with what happened and then, for each answer, asks why that happened, continuing until you reach a factor that, if fixed, would prevent recurrence. It’s popular in safety investigations because it emphasizes learning and systemic improvement rather than blaming individuals. For example, if a guard was found missing, you’d ask why it was missing, why maintenance didn’t reinstall it, why the procedure didn’t require reinstalling guards, and so on, until you identify a policy, training, or process gap that allowed the issue to slip through. In contrast, cost-benefit analysis weighs financial tradeoffs, SWOT analysis looks at organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and failure mode and effects analysis is a proactive method to spot potential failures before they occur. Five Whys is favored for its simplicity, quick insights, and focus on actionable fixes that prevent repeated incidents.

Five Whys digs into root causes by repeatedly asking “why” after an incident to trace the chain of causes back to underlying system weaknesses. The approach starts with what happened and then, for each answer, asks why that happened, continuing until you reach a factor that, if fixed, would prevent recurrence. It’s popular in safety investigations because it emphasizes learning and systemic improvement rather than blaming individuals. For example, if a guard was found missing, you’d ask why it was missing, why maintenance didn’t reinstall it, why the procedure didn’t require reinstalling guards, and so on, until you identify a policy, training, or process gap that allowed the issue to slip through. In contrast, cost-benefit analysis weighs financial tradeoffs, SWOT analysis looks at organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and failure mode and effects analysis is a proactive method to spot potential failures before they occur. Five Whys is favored for its simplicity, quick insights, and focus on actionable fixes that prevent repeated incidents.